Bag seal utilizing pressure sensitive tape having weakened transverse zones



May 30, 1967 BUSH 3,322,325

R. I... BAG SEAL UTILIZING PRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPE HAVING WEAKENEDTRANSVERSE ZONES Filed Jan. 30, 1962 FIG. 1.

INVENTOR ROY L. BUSH FIG.4. BY 7 wkMm/fi ATTORNEYS United States PatentOfi ice 3,322,325 Patented May 30, 1967 3,322 325 BAG SEAL UTILIZINGIRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPE HAVING WEAKENED TRANSVERSE ZONES Roy L. Bush,260-04 58th Ave., Little Neck, NY. 11362 Filed Jan. 30, 1962, Ser. No.169,796 3 Claims. (Cl. 229-62) This invention relates to a pressuresensitive tape particularly adapted for sealing bags or the like, and toa method for applying the same to said bags.

Many commodities are presently vended in polyethylene bags or the like,the upper end of which is gathered to form a neck around which is placeda pressure sensitive tape. This tape is generally made of a treatedpaper base material for strength, to prevent accidental or prematureseverance of the tape, one side of the tape having a pressure sensitiveadhesive applied thereto. While this tape provides an efiicient sealingmeans, it has been found that, when the contents of the bag are to beremoved, it is virtually impossible to pull the tape off, or tear it intwo, without ripping the bag, thereby destroying its storage usefulness.

It is an object of this invention to provide a pressure sensitive tapefor placement around the gathered neck of a bag or the like, to seal thelatter, the seal being readily broken to permit facile opening of thebag and removal of the contents without tearing the bag.

Another object is to provide a pressure sensitive tape of the characterdescribed having transverse weakened zones at spaced intervals to permitthe tape to be torn apart at the locus of the neck of the bag, foropening the latter.

A further object is to provide a method of applying pressure sensitivetape having uniformly spaced, transverse weakened zones to the neck of abag, comprising placing the central section of a length of the tapearound the neck, aligning the weakened zones of the terminal portions ofthe tape, and securing the terminals of the pressure tape together.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the followingdescription of the present preferred form of the invention, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front plan View of pressure sensitive tape madein accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear plan view of the same;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a bag, illustrating the application ofthe pressure sensitive tape of the present invention thereto, forsealing the bag;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view similar to FIG. 3, showing toadvantage the manner of securing the tape to the bag;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing the manner of tearing thetape to open the bag, for removing the contents;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the tape per se after it is applied to thebag in a manner shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a similar view showing the terminal portion of the tapewrapped around the main body of the bag; and

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the tape per se in the partially torncondition shown in FIG. 5.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing, there is shown in FIGS.1 and 2, a tape 10 of predetermined length which may be in roll form orcut into strips as desired. Tape 10 is preferably made of a paper basematerial which has been treated for greater strength in order to preventaccidental or premature tearing thereof during, or subsequent to,application to the bag. As shown in FIG. 2, a pressure sensitiveadhesive coating 11 is applied to one side of the tape to permit facileapplication of the tape to a bag. In accordance with the objects of thepresent invention, tape 10 is provided with a plurality of uniformlyspaced transverse perforations or weakened zones 12 which extendentirely across the width of the tape. Perforations 12 serve to make thetreated tape more pliable for use in accordance with the presentinvention and also to permit ready severance thereof both forapplication to the bag for sealing and for tearing of the tape when itis desired to open the bag.

In FIGS. 3-8 there is illustrated the manner of applying the tape of thepresent invention to a bag designated 13, which bag may be made ofpolyethylene, paper or any other suitable flexible material. Inaccordance with the objects of the present invention, the bag isgathered near its open end to form a neck 14 around which the centralportion 15 of a predetermined length of tape 10* is placed. By virtue ofthe pressure sensitive adhesive 11 on one side of the tape, centralportion 15 readily adheres to the neck of the bag. As shown in FIGS. 4and 6, the terminal portions of the tape designated 16 and 17 extendoutwardly from the neck of the bag and are adhered together in such amanner that transverse perforations 12 are aligned. This forms a tearstrip designated 18.

It is within the contemplation of the present invention to extend theextreme terminal portion 17 beyond that of portion 16 as indicated at17. This permits portions 16, 17 and 17' to be wrapped around centralportion 15 with the adhesive coated side of terminal portion 17' adheredto main body portion 15 to hold the tape terminals in wrapped positions.This effects a more aesthetic appearance while at the same timeeffecting a tighter seal on the bag.

When it is desired to open the bag for removal of the contents, terminalportion 17 is first lifted out of adhesive engagement with centralportion 15 and portions 16 and 17 returned to the position shown in FIG.6. Tear strip 18 is then severed along aligned perforations 12 at thejuncture of main body portion 15, in the man ner illustrated in FIG. 8.In most instances, this action is all that is necessary to completeopening of the bag. However, at times, the remaining terminals of thetape are still lightly sealed, in which event the seal is readily brokenby spreading the upper terminals of the bag to pull the terminals apart.

With the process and apparatus of the present invention the sealing ofbags is quickly and efficiently effected. Additionally, opening of the'bag is greatly facilitated without ripping the latter and therebydestroying its storage usefulness.

It is further within the contemplation of the present invention tosecure tape 10 to the gathered neck of the bag by adhesively securingthe terminals thereof in such a manner that perforations 12 are notaligned. Also, if desired, the terminals of the tape may be coextensiveor the terminals may be haphazardly overlapped and secured together. Theterminals need not be wrapped around neck portion 15, as disclosed inFIG. 7. Whether perforations 12 are aligned or unaligned, the tape maybe broken by pulling the bag apart :at the locus of the neck portion ofthe tape. This causes the tran verse severance along a perforated line12, the particula point of the break being the weakest point of thetape. Therefore, when the bag is opened in this manner, the tape may betorn at the point indicated in FIGS. 5 and 8 or at a point on theperiphery of neck portion 15. Various other changes may be made withinthe scope of the claims hereto appended.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bag of flexible material open at one end, sealing means thereforadapted for engagement with a neck portion of the bag formed bygathering the latter near the open end thereof, the sealing meansincluding a flexible tape having a pressure sensitive adhesive coatingon one side thereof and having spaced transverse weakened Zones, theintermediate part of said tape encircling the neck portion of the bag,the terminals of said tape being adhered together, whereupon theexertion of stress along a weakened zone at the locus of the neckportion causes the tape to break and permits opening of the bag.

2. In a bag of flexible material open at one end, sealing means thereforadapted for engagement with a neck portion of the bag formed bygathering the latter near the open end thereof, the sealing meansincluding a flexible pressure sensitive tape having transverse weakenedzones comprising equi-spaced perforations coextensive with the width ofthe tape, the intermediate part of said tape encircling and beingsecured to the neck portion of the bag, the terminals of said pressuresensitive tape being adhered together with the transverse perforationsthereof being aligned in opposed relationship, thereby forming a tearstrip, to facilitate severing of the tape along a weakened zone at thelocus of the neck portion of the bag.

3. The sealing means of claim 2 wherein the extreme end of one terminalportion of the pressure sensitive tape extends beyond the other, topermit the joined terminals of the tape to be wrapped around the neckportion of the bag and the extended terminal adhered to another portionof the tape.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,793,328 2/1931 Bombard et al.2417 2,194,220 3/1940 Elder 2417 2,508,855 5/1950 Brown 161-88 2,779,8511/1957 Vogt 21919 2,805,183 9/1957 Higgins 154-406 2,849,171 8/1958OBrien 22919.58

ALEXANDER WYMAN, Primary Examiner.

EARL M. BERGERT, Examiner.

R. J. ROCHE, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A BAG A FLEXIBLE MATERIAL OPEN AT ONE END, SEALING MEANS THEREFORADAPTED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH A NECK PORTION OF THE BAG FORMED BYGATHERING THE LATTER NEAR THE OPEN END THEREOF, THE SEALING MEANSINCLUDING A FLEXIBLE TAPE HAVING A PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE COATINGON ONE SIDE THEREOF AND HAVING SPACED TRANSVERSE WEAKENED ZONES, THEINTERMEDIATE PART OF SAID TAPE ENCIRCLING THE NECK PORTION OF THE BAG,THE TERMINALS OF SAID TAPE BEING ADHERED TOGETHER, WHEREUPON THEEXERTION OF STRESS ALONG A WEAKENED ZONE AT THE LOCUS OF THE NECKPORTION CAUSES THE TAPE TO BREAK AND PERMITS OPENING OF THE BAG.